The best counter to communism is economics. It worked in the USSR, it is working in China, and it will work in Cuba.
I am all for normalizing relations with Cuba as it would help set them free, plus it is an amazing piece of real estate. Capitalism will dominate the place and displace communism.
IIRC current Cuban workers dealing with foreign visitors are still paid in worthless Cuban money. Foreign tourists had to exchange their money for Cuban.
Likely any industry that employs Cubans will pay wages to the Castro crime family which will trickle down useless change.
Before the USSR fall the Czechs sent tech workers abroad, took an employment agency cut from the employer and required payment from the worker. One of our architects explained this to me when caught skillfully doctoring copies of the W2 forms he was required to send back along with his prorated payment. Family back home held hostage to this payment. He fought the system the only way he could...a real artist. ;>)
“Those who ignore history are dammed to repeat it” George Santayana.
China still is a repressive Communist regime even after adopting economic capitalism. In Russia the more it changes, the more it remains the same, Communists changed names by not their principles. The Russian bear has invaded Ukraine and is menacing to invade the Baltic countries in spite that they are part of NATO. Raul Castro assured to the useful idiots that in Cuba Communism is irreversible and increased the repression against the Cuban dissidents.
In May 2001 Fidel Castro during his visit to Iran addressed the Iranian students at University of Tehran that are chilling when read in light of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
According to news reports, during the visit Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei “assured Castro that Iran and Cuba can defeat the U.S. hand in hand,” to which Castro agreed, adding that America was “extremely weak today,” and that “we are today eyewitness to their weakness, as their close neighbors.”
At Tehran University he stated to the thunderous applause of students and faculty, (AFP, May 10, 2001) proudly proclaimed that “Iran and Cuba reached the conclusion that together they can tear down the United States.” (IPS, May 10, 2001)
As an irony of history the words of Fidel Castro in May 2001 were prophetic, in the short period of 14 years, and at the time, we are witnessing an American president that dishonored the United States by unconditionally surrender to the two main sponsors of terrorist in the world, Iran and Cuba. Thanks to Obama’s treason, the American taxpayers will play the role of sugar daddy to keep afloat the Cuban Stalinist regime, a role played before by the Soviet Union and Venezuela that brought both of them to their bankruptcy.